Newton Harcourt

Today's Canal - Grand Union Leicester Section

As with yesterday, we planned to avoid cruising in the hottest part of the day so set our alarm for 6.30 (OK, early for us!) When we rose the sky had plenty of fluffy clouds scattered around but they cleared quickly. We managed to get away by about a quarter to eight.

We assumed that we would not meet anyone moving for some time so were a bit surprised to see a boat arrive at the first lock just after we did.

It was a wide beam boat - we would not have wanted to have encountered it in the section immediately ahead as reeds and vegetation left little room either side of a wide beam. It was a family with two teenage children - they said that they were continuous cruisers in the south Leicestershire area. They cannot move far as kit was clear that hey knew little of the route through Leicester and beyond. It also looked as if the children were home schooled.

We have passed several bridges, or their remains, that once formed part of the Grand Central Railway so it was a change to go under a working railway - Birmingham - Leicester.

Just after Little Glen Bridge we had a view across the meadows towards Blaby Mill. Originally this was a water-powered grain mill but the chimney as added when steam engines were introduced. As far as we can find out, the place is now a livery stables but their web site has not been completed or updated for a couple of years it seems. Stables must have had a lean time during lockdown and probably still taking time to recover.

We were gradually moving out into countryside properly although for some distance, as can be seen alongside Bush Lock, housing continued to the north of the canal almost until Kilby Bridge.

By now the temperature was on the hot side of uncomfortable so it was a relief to reach Kilby Lock as this was almost our target for the morning. Still only just after 11!

Water lilies are spreading fast - some, like these large white ones - are quite pretty, just so long as they keep away from our prop!

We needed to call at Kilby Bridge Wharf for the full range of usual services. After completing the emptying, filling and disposing we moved a very short distance for a shaded mooring until much later in the day.

It was around 4:30 when we continued our journey. We planned only four locks but the first, Bumblebee proved a tad tedious. Firstly, one of the top gates was open when we arrived but that is not uncommon around here) but once the boat was in the lock, Mike had to close the bottom gate five times! No sooner had he made it half way to the top end when it opened itself. In the end, Christine had to climb up the ladder to come and assist. Once there was a little bit of water behind the gates they were OK but the usual trick of running a little flow from the top did not work here.

The four locks are quite close with the last two almost a mini flight. We felt we had achieved something (what?) by the time we came though Bottom Half Mile.

'Half Mile' is just what it says but it fails to describe the condition of the towpath bank. We knew that our guides do not list anywhere to moor until after another three locks - and we knew that would probably be just too much for us this evening. We looked to moor after the end of the lock at the start of the pound but felt that it was just a bit too little room should a boat come along. But the reeds and other vegetation meant that  we could barely see the towpath. The landing below the next lock looked no more convenient so we took a chance on the smallest of gaps - enough for Mike to leap ashore and hammer in pins. The ground was a bit soft but hopefully no speeding boats to pull them out and the reeds would hang on to us, like as not!

5.9 Miles - 11 Locks